MG Motor India’s entry-level electric vehicle, the MG Comet EV, has been in our garage for quite sometime now. The MG Comet EV is the perfect electric vehicle for city dwellers as it is easy to use for all your daily errands and navigates well in urban settings. The compact yet robust electric vehicle also brings with it a unique blend of practicality, convenience along with eco-friendliness especially in cities like Mumbai where the roads are pretty much clogged with traffic year around. In this 5,000 km long term report, we bring you all the details of the MG Comet EV’s practicality as an urban car, which will help you make an informed buying decision.
Ease of Use
The MG Comet EV is a simple car yet it turned out to be quite the head turner, thanks to its quirky design and ultra compact size. However, that’s not it, the Comet EV is pretty easy to use and even first time drivers will find the Comet’s controls to be quite intuitive. The compact size of the car is a boon for new drivers as it is capable of maneuvering through congested streets with ease. The Comet EV is also very versatile, be it your quick run to the grocery store or your daily errands, the Comet EV feels light and agile making even your daily commutes through traffic easier. The regenerative braking system, also allows the driver to almost use the Comet EV using just the throttle pedal. By almost I mean that the Comet EV can slow down to crawling speeds if the Regen is set to ‘Heavy’ which not only extends the battery range in stop-and-go traffic, but also reduces brake wear, eventually saving on maintenance costs.
The Right Size
The MG Comet EV’s biggest highlight is its compact size. While some may doubt its practicality, as the Comet EV appears to be too small from the outside, but trust me when I tell you this, the interiors are so well packaged that the car has enough space for four adults as well as their daily accompaniments. The Comet EV is just 2974mm in length which may appear to be a small number as we are now used to “SUVs” in the 4-metre length range. However, the car slots effortlessly into tight parking spaces where these so called “practical” SUVs struggle. The MG Comet EV also has a tight turning radius of 4.2-metres which allows the car to make single point turns on most urban streets. But do not be disappointed by its small demeanor, as the interiors are surprisingly spacious and also come with a lot of practical storage spaces. In a test we also tried fitting 20 half litre water bottles in the door pockets as well as the 2 bottles in the dashboard placed in front of the side AC vents which help them keep cool at all times.
Charging Requirements
In all of the 5,000 km that I drove it, I did not find the Comet EV to have run out of juice in the middle of the road. This is because the Comet EV can be charged using a 16Amp 3-pin socket, such as the one you use for your home appliances like refrigerator or air conditioner. This reduces your runs to dedicated EV charging stations and the anxiety of being stranded at the charging station with nothing to do to kill time while the EV gets charged. However, one can charge the Comet EV at a public charging station using the Type-2 plug which costs between INR 18 to INR 23 per kWh. But if you are using the Comet EV for a set route, for example, your daily commute to work, the EV can be charged overnight at your residence, or at the office during your work hours. 0 to 100% on a 16Amp socket takes around 7 hours. Assuming you would never run the battery to 0% SOC the Comet takes around 5 hours to charge from 20% to 100% SOC, which in my opinion is quite practical. While our model did not have the fast charging option, the new Comet EV which comes with a 7.4 kW onboard charger takes 3.5 hours to charge from 0% to 100% State of Charge.
Range and Range Anxiety
The MG Comet EV offers a range of around 200 km on a single charge. In my experience, this range is quite unfazed even if you drive the EV in bumper to bumper traffic or out on the highway, but of course, I have always driven the Comet in a sedate manner as it is an urban vehicle and not an outright performance machine. During my daily commute from my residence in Andheri to our office in Thane which is about 60 km to and fro, I would only need the Comet EV’s battery to be topped off every third day. While range anxiety is quite common amongst EV drivers, the Comet’s on board computer does provide quite the accurate information which will let you know your limits. Of course, some calculations are definitely required and even with its battery full, sometimes you would feel limited to urban driving. Longer highway drives are not impossible with the Comet EV but this might require more tedious planning and a lot of patience when the juice runs out. But driving the car within the city is generally stress-free.
Practical Space
The Comet EV’s interior packaging is one thing that MG Motor should be appreciated for. The space utilization inside the cabin is not only practical but the interiors feel airy, and this may have a lot to do with its White/Grey interior theme as well. However, the colours are not responsible for the ample legroom offered for both front as well as rear passengers. While the boot space is quite limited, folding down the rear seats makes space for small shopping trips plus you can even carry large bags for those airport runs.
Conclusion
Overall, the MG Comet EV not only sends out a good vibe but also is a functional electric vehicle for the urban environment. It offers you a sustainable choice, along with the practicality of navigating through congested city roads and you can idle in those snarling traffic jams with the AC on full blast without having the environmental guilt. The eco-friendly powertrain also reminds you that you have done your part in reducing the carbon footprint and have not added to the air pollution that metropolitan cities like Mumbai suffer from. Not only this, the Comet EV remains pleasurable to drive and proved to be a delightful companion for the 5,000 kms it was with me.
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